Severn Trent is handing out more than 5,000 free water saving devices to customers in Staffordshire after rocketing demand during record dry and hot weather.

The company is staging four huge community giveaways in the county, which saw rainfall drop to just 37% of the expected average during June.

Meanwhile, usage has risen by almost seven per cent this year in Staffordshire after a record dry and warm spring, followed by a blistering June and July, with an extra 6.8 million litres of water being used EVERY DAY – the equivalent of around 48,571 wheelie bins.

Now Severn Trent is handing out free water-saving showerheads, shower timers, Toothy Timers for kids, Kitchen Stream products to reduce tap flows, and Eco Betas devices to offer dual flush with toilets, reducing consumption.

The four giveaway events, which run from 10am to 3.30pm, are being held at:

• The Potteries Centre in Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent, on Tuesday, 15^th July
• Leek Indoor Market based at Market Place, on Wednesday 16^th July
• And Trentham Gardens Shopping Village, Stone Road, on Thursday and Friday, the 17^th and 18^th July.

Howard Perry, Water Networks Lead at Severn Trent, said: “We have thousands of employees working around the clock right now to keep the water flowing. We’re finding and fixing more leaks than ever before, investing record amounts in new pipes, and upgrading and developing new treatment works, adding hundreds of millions of litres of drinking water into our network. 

“So, whilst we want to reassure our customers that we’re doing everything we can to keep the water flowing, we can’t escape how hot and dry it is, and how little rainfall we’ve had this year. We experienced record levels of demand so as well as doing everything we can, we’re also asking our customers to be even more mindful of their water usage during this hot spell by saving water where they can.

“We have been asking customers to be water wise by following simple water saving tips and now we are giving away some 5,000 water saving devices to help them.

“The products will help save water in kitchens and bathrooms and will save customers money by reducing their energy and water bills.”

Severn Trent experts will be on hand to offer help and advice on the water-saving products and other tips at the four events, while staff can signpost customers to affordability schemes – including signing up for the water and money-saving smart meters.

Mark Grice, Severn Trent External Relations Manager said: “These events are a great way to give customers practicable help in saving water with fantastic water-saving devices – and how they can save money.

“We want people to know that if they need help with their water bill, then we are here to help. My team are out and about every single day committed to meeting people in local communities and helping make things that little bit more manageable.”

Severn Trent is expected to be supporting around 700,000 households by 2030 with some form of financial support, making it one of the industry’s most comprehensive affordability packages.

WATER SAVING TIPS:

1. Leave the watering of the garden for another time. It will soon bounce back after it rains.
2. Turn Off Taps When Not in Use. Did you know that a running tap uses over SIX litres of water every minute? So, by turning them off while you brush your teeth, you’ll be saving over 12 litres of water.
3. Look out for leaks. Leaky loos can easily be missed as they just trickle down the back of the toilet pan but they can mean up to 400 litres of water wasted from each toilet every day. To help find out if you have a leak, you can visit the Severn Trent website here. And if you do, our teams can potentially get out to you quickly and fix it for free.  
4. Run Full Loads. Dishwashers are much more energy and water efficient and can save even more water and energy by selecting cooler and shorter wash cycles and by only using them when it is full, can be more efficient than washing dishes by hand. Similarly, only using your washing machine on a full load will mean less cycles and less water used.  
5. Get a water meter. Once installed, most customers make a conscious effort to use less water once they switch to a water meter. The meters mean you’ll only ever pay for what you use, putting you in charge of your bills. To see if you can apply, visit here
6. Place a jug of water in the fridge. That way you will have a nice cold glass when you need it, rather than running the tap until it is cold, wasting lots of water.